


Peeping Tom

by Lionheart39



Series: She Knows Who Can Help! [3]
Category: Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26797021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionheart39/pseuds/Lionheart39
Summary: After her return  Sarah is troubled by a feeling she is being watched!
Relationships: Fourth Doctor/Sarah Jane Smith
Series: She Knows Who Can Help! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1940053
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	Peeping Tom

Doris smiled down at her husband as he took the mug of tea. 

“Thank you, my love!” he said giving her a wide smile. “So what do you think?” 

She looked at the bed of geraniums he had planted and smiled.

“They look lovely, Darling!” she lifted his cap and kissed the bald patch he was rather sensitive about. She saw him flinch. “Oh Alistair, don't be so vain, I love your bald patch! We are both getting older you know!”

He smiled at her, “Not you love, you're still as beautiful as that first day I met you!”

Doris laughed, “I think you're eyes are going as well!” she said giggling, but still so cheered that he obviously was speaking from the heart. 

“Don't forget Sarah is arriving at six, for the weekend! It's a pity that Harry couldn't make it!”

“Doris, I've told you a hundred times as far as Sarah is concerned Harry is just a friend!”

Doris sighed, “I know, but poor Harry...”

“We can't change how Sarah feels, she has her heart set on one person and I'm sorry to say it's not Commander Sullivan!”

Doris sighed sadly, “But they would make a lovely couple! “

Alistair got to his feet stiffly, “Doris, trying to love the wrong person never works! Once you've found and fallen in love with your soulmate no other relationship measures up! I should know, after I lost you, no one else was ever enough to replace you! I would have made it work with Fiona because of Kate, but you were always my one true love!”

Doris hugged him close “And you are mine! I am so glad I found you again!”

“Now, how about you run me a bath while I cut some Rose’s for the hall table!”

Doris smiled up at him, and pecked him on his cheek. 

As he watched his wife enter the house he called out, “Alright Doctor you can come out!”

Sheepishly the young man in a tweed jacket, dark slacks, pinstriped shirt, braces and a bow tie, walked out of the bushes. He gave a quick smile.  
“Hi, Alistair, just...”

“Checking up on Sarah! Again!” Alistair said.

The Doctor shuffled his feet.

“I’m keeping an eye on her for you, I keep an eye on them all!”

The Doctor sat down on the grass and looked up at his friend, “I know you do Alistair, and I'm grateful, but you know Sarah is special!”

Alistair blew out his cheeks, “Yes, I know!”

“Do you want to stay and meet Sarah? She hasn't seen you in this body, I could say your a new member of UNIT they have sent over for me to meet!” 

The Doctor shook his head. “I don't think that would be a good idea, I’m sure Doris would see through me and I don't think she would approve!”

Alistair smiled, “Your probably right, Doctor, is there anything you want me to tell Sarah?”

The Doctor shook his head, stood up and took Alistair’s hand. “Just keep watching out for her and keep on being you, Alistair!”

The young man shoved his hands in his pockets and headed off towards the back of the garden. Where Alistair was sure he'd stay watching Sarah.

He cut the Rose’s and returned to the house. As he laid in the bath Alistair remembered Sarah’s return almost eight months after that Zygon business in Scotland. 

Alistair had been sat in his office, it was rather late when the phone rang. He was expecting it to be some call to arms, some emergency that would require UNIT to mobilise. Either that or his ex-wife blaming him for their daughters latest act of defiance. Why it would be his fault he never knew, as she never let him see Kate!

He picked up the phone and in his usual clipped voice said “Lethbridge-Stewart!” 

He was mildly surprised when he recognised the young female voice. 

“Brigadier, oh thank goodness! I'm at Euston station, the transport police have arrested me and...”

“Miss Smith?”

“Yes!”

“Is the Doctor with you?”

“No, he’s been called home to.... well you know. He left me in Aberdeen, I hadn't got any money so I...”

“Put the police officer on!” Alistair cut in.

“Alistair spoke to the inspector, then after hanging up the phone went into the outer office and pulled a travel warrant from Corporal Bell’s desk draw, then set off for Euston!”

It was gone two o'clock by the time he had dealt with the police and got Miss Smith back to UNIT H.Q.

She was tired and slightly tearful. 

“Oh Brigadier, he said he was going to take me home, he said it would only be a couple of days after we first left. But I was in Aberdeen and it's been almost a year! I mean what about my flat? My job, I...

Alistair sighed deeply. He took out the bottle of Whisky from the bottom draw of his desk, poured two large glasses and handed one to Sarah.

“Your flat will be ready for you the day after tomorrow. I sublet it out to Corporal Atkinson, who is our person at the M.O.D. , a very nice, quiet, young lady. I thought it a prudent move until you returned. I shall arrange for her to be accommodated at one of the UNIT properties tomorrow!”

He looked at his watch, “I mean today! Your personal belongings are stored here, along with your car, so you can take them with you when you return to your flat.” 

Sarah was looking at him in amazement.

He got up went to one of the filing cabinets, pulled a thick file out of a draw and passed it to her.

“As for your job, your editor has been getting reports on the famine crisis in India for the last six months. You have been nominated for several awards, for your in depth reports from the hardest hit, remotest regions.”

Sarah was looking at the contents of the file amazed

“I have had the relevant stamps put in your passport. I also set up a bank account for your salary to be paid into. Several withdrawals have been made in some of the larger cities in India, but I have reimbursed those in the form of rent. As for your Aunt she has received a birthday card and a small gift from India, several days late, but genuinely from the area you were supposed to be in.”

Sarah was reading the articles and looking at the photographs. They were certainly well written and did have her turn of phrase! 

Sarah looked at the Brigadier wide eyed.

“But the photo's and the stories? Where did you...?”

Alistair pointed at the nun in the photos, “Mother Mavis, I worked with her in 1962 at an aid camp in Bangladesh. A remarkable woman, studied to be an English teacher. She was keen to help. It allowed her to get the story of the crisis out to the world! Your articles have been responsible for aid reaching the people in the remotest regions!”

“Sargent Madox reworked the articles in to your style of writing!”

“I don't know what to say Brigadier!”

Alistair just smiled, “Well quid pro quo, Miss Smith, you keep our secrets and we'll keep yours!”

Sarah sipped at her drink more cheered and then she frowned. “ It's as if you were expecting me back!” she said suspiciously!

Alistair looked uneasy “Well they usually do return, after a while, the Doctor’s companions!”

“But he'll come back for me! I know he will. This is just..., just a break!” Sarah said. 

Alistair doubted that, but he forced a flicker of a smile. Part of him hoped the Doctor would return for her, there had certainly been something more serious between the Doctor and Sarah. But deep down he didn't foresee it happening. And disappointingly he was proved right. So he had monitored Sarah, like he did all the Doctor’s former companions. But Sarah was special so he kept in touch, steered contacts her way and well, tried to look after her, in a fatherly sort of way. 

It was four months later when Alistair, got a call. 

A whispered voice, “Brigadier, I think I'm being watched!”

“Sarah, is that you?”

“Yes, Oh, Brig, someone is watching my house. I'm not imagining it honest! I thought it was just.. well you know but it's been a week now and every night!”

He was worried, a young woman living alone, “Sarah make sure you are locked in. Go upstairs and bar your bedroom door. I'll be with you in 40 minutes!”

“Oh Alistair, thank you!”

As he stood up he grabbed the phone and dialled the infirmary!”

Harry Sullivan met him at his car, and within 40 minutes they arrived at Sarah's. Alistair knocked quietly and Harry entered the house, while Alistair circled around the gardens.

There he was stood under the trees at the end of the woods. A tall imposing shadow, looking through a spy glass at Sarah’s windows. A small cat was rubbing at his boots!

A hard jab with three fingers to the nape of the neck and the man fell like a stone!

“Venusian Aikido” the man muttered as he regained his feet wincing as the torch beam lit his face. ”I wish I'd never taught you that move!”

“Doctor, what are you doing here frightening poor Miss Smith half to death!”

The Doctor just looked sheepish. “I just wanted to see her, check she was all right! Well as all right as you can expect. When I found I dropped her off in the wrong time I was worried!”

Alistair held out his hand and the Doctor shook it! 

“Wrong time and wrong place, but don't worry I sorted it for her!” he told the Time Lord.

The Doctor looked at Alistair and smiled! As his old friend explained how he had covered Sarah's absence up while she had been his companion!”

“So what has brought you back really?”

The Doctor scowled at his friend.

“Doctor you could have checked all this up without being here every night for a week!”

“Oh, so she saw me!” 

“No she just felt like she was being watched so she called me for help! Well you can come in and apologise for frightening her!”

The Doctor froze “No, no I can't Alistair,.. I can't see Sarah, I.."

“You can't meet her Why!”

“If I do then she'll end up travelling with me again!”

“And what's wrong with that?” he asked but he suspected he knew.

“Sarah is different, if... if well, I think I love her.. but travelling with me isn't safe I want her safe!”

Alistair smiled, in the dark the Doctor couldn't see it!

“She's better off not being around me!”

Alistair sighed, he'd done the same with the people he loved, given them up so they would be safe. He missed them terribly, but hoped they would find happiness with out him.

“Doctor if that's what you've decided then this spying has to stop!”

“Have you stopped trying to see Kate?” the Doctor snapped.

“I see her once a year, no more. I can't take anymore and she doesn't need it! But Kate’s my daughter. As for Fiona, Liz and Doris, well I just try not to think about them. They deserve better than me!”

Suddenly a light came from the back door, “Brigadier?” Harry called softly.

“Best get off Doctor and no coming back!” 

The Doctor left and Alistair stooped and picked up the cat!

He entered the garden and in the light flooding out from the open back door introduced Sarah to the cat, who he said was her peeping Tom!

Sarah giggled and hugged the little cat close. She lent forward and planted a kiss on Alistair's cheek and taking Harry's arm took her new feline companion inside for a slice of ham!

The Doctor closed his eyes, and felt both broken hearts lift a little, before falling, knowing he wouldn't see Sarah again. No Alistair was right, he had to be strong!

It was almost a year after Sarah had settled back into her life. He had been in Geneva when the TARDIS appeared in his bedroom at the hotel.

He had just spent the better part of ten hours in debriefing sessions after delivering his report on UNIT UKs last action against the Drashig.

He was tired, dispirited and injured, so wasn't in the mood for the Doctor. But got up, pulled his dressing gown on and grabbed his crutches. As he got near to the TARDIS the doors burst open and the Doctor stormed out almost knocking him off his feet!

Arms grabbed hold of him and steadied him!

“Alistair? What are you doing in Croydon?“

The Brigadier blinked, “This is Geneva Doctor! I think you've missed your target! And what may I ask were you about to do in Croydon?”

The Doctor looked sheepishly down at his feet, suddenly turned around strode into the TARDIS and slammed the door behind him. He ran up to the console and tried to set the TARDIS in flight. Nothing happened. The TARDIS doors opened and Alistair saw a dim trail of light, he patted the side of the TARDIS, and entered. He could hear the Doctor muttering angrily to his craft. 

Alistair could feel the TARDIS'S unhappiness. 

A sturdy chair with arms materialised and Alistair lowered himself into it with a sigh! “I take it you were trying to go back to Sarah's!”

The Doctor didn't say anything. “Was it to collect her or just to spy on her?””

Again nothing was said. The Doctor just slammed his hand on the console!

“I can't do it Alistair, I can't give Sarah up!”

Alistair sighed.

“Then you have two choices, old friend! You either go back and collect Sarah and both of you go off in the TARDIS together!” 

“You know I can’t do that!” he shouted!

“Or,” Alistair continued in a level voice as if the Doctor hadn't spoken, “you come back to Earth, find a job, you could even come back and work for me, and live a nine to five sort of life, going home to Sarah at the end of the day!”

The Doctor groaned! “I couldn't bear it, that sort of life...”

Well then you have the third choice. You let Sarah go completely. Check up on her once a year if you have to. But trust me to make sure she’s safe. And hopefully Sarah will then get on with her life, even find someone to love who is willing and able to love her back!”

The Doctor looked troubled.

"You could give her a companion!" he nodded towards the robot dog Sarah had told him so much about, K9. 

The Doctor rubbed his chin. If K9 was there he could help keep her safe and he'd be a friend of sorts able to summon help if she needs it. 

"But no using it as a spy!"

The Doctor glared at his friend, annoyed that he had read his mind so easily, then he smiled.

“Ok Alistair, anyway I don't think the TARDIS will let me go back to Sarah's. But I'm glad she brought me to you. It's good to have a friend who keeps you on track.”

Alistair patted the TARDIS.

“You're a lucky man Doctor, you've got two of us doing that!”


End file.
